Device for collecting cutting samples from well drilling operations



June 1964 L. H. TANNER ETAL 3,135,685

DEVICE FOR COLLECTING CUTTING SAMPLES FROM WELL DRILLING OPERATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 20, 1961 INVENTOR. LOYD l-LTANNER. TED H. TANNE ATTORNEY.

June 2 1954 L. H. TANNER ETAL 3,135,635

DEVICE FOR COLLECTING CUTTING SAMPLES FROM WELL DRILLING OPERATIONS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 20, 1961 INVENTOR. LOYD H. TANNER. TED H. TANNER "WW ATTORNEY- United States Patent 3,135,685 DEVICE FOR C(JLLECTTNG CUTTING SAMPLES 5120M vv'ELL DPJLLLNG GPERATIQNS Loyd H. Tanner, 2044 Fairview Ave., Casper, Wym, and Ted H. Tanner, 43:35 E. 28th St, Tucson, Ariz. Filed Apr. 29, 1961, Ser. No. 164,387 Claims. (Cl. 299-269) This invention relates to a device for collecting cutting samples in well-drilling operations. More particularly, it relates to such a device which is simpler in construction and more efficient in operation than similar devices heretofore available.

In drilling oil wells, as the bit drives into the hole, mud under pressure is pumped through a hollow drill pipe. The mud comes out through holes in the bit and is forced back to the surface. This mud carries with it the cuttings made by the bit. It also cools the bit and lines the drill hole with a mud cake. Since this mud is rather expensive, it is collected in a mud storage tank and recirculated back to the well. Shaker screens are used to separate cavings such as shale, sand, rock, gravel, grit and the like from the mud before it is discharged into the mud storage tanks.

A geologist must follow the drilling operation to determine the thickness and sequence of each rock stratum penetrated. He does this by collecting a proper set of samples and examining them. The samples consist of cuttings from the drill bit and must be removed from the mud and cavings. A cuttings sample should be taken from each ten foot level as the drilling proceeds.

In conventional practice, samples are gathered on a platform which collects the material or tailings from the shaker screen. Tailings accumulate on this platform from the time one sample is caught until it is time to collect the next sample. Therefore, all of the tailings from a particular ten foot of depth of hole drilled will be available on the platform for examination. The tailings should be stirred and mixed thoroughly so that the sample will be representative of the entire ten foot interval. The usual procedure is to take one shovel full of this mixture and wash the cavings away from the cuttings. The washed cuttings are placed in a cloth bag and sent to a laboratory for analysis. If the sample is composed of soft, sticky shales, improper washing quite often washes away the cuttings, leaving only the cavings. Since the samples must be caught at a given depth, as distinguished from a given time, it is difiicult to predict when a particular sample is due. For example, when drilling in soft materials, the ten foot interval will be reached very rapidly and when drilling in hard rock the ten foot interval will be reached very slowly. It is not economically sound to have a man devote all of his time to collecting samples; therefore, a man must continually interrupt his other duties to check on the drilling depth in order to determine if it is time to take a sample. He may often mislead the geologist by accumulating a number of samples from the same ten foot interval.

It has been suggested in US. Patent Nos. 1,721,126 and 2,882,014 that samples from an oil well can be taken automatically at predetermined levels. These sampling devices work on the principle of a cable which is attached to the drill rod and connected to a tripping mechanism which actuates a device for bringing a new container into position to reecive the sample at a predetermined interval. While generally satisfactory, this type of apparatus is relatively expensive and creates the problem of having a cable which not only interferes with the workmen around the drilling rig, but which must be detached each time additional lengths are added to the drill string.

The device of our invention on the other hand, is activated by the operator of the drilling rig. Also, the

3,135,685 Patented June 2, 1964 device of our invention separates the cuttings from the cavings.

It is an object of this invention to provide a device for collecting cutting samples in well drilling operations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of the type described which is highly efficient in operation and relatively inexpensive in construction.

It is another object of the invention to provide a device of the type described which will collect samples from a predetermined depth.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which will collect samples that are representative of the intervals drilled, are in better condition for examination, are free of objectionable cavings, and are caught at the proper time.

These and other objects will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

In the drawings:

FZGURE 1 is a schematic elevation showing a well drilling rig, a mud tank and a portion of a device of our invention for collecting cutting samples of a well drilling operation;

FIGURE 2 is a schematic elevation of the device of our invention including some of the elements of FIGURE 1 shown in relation to another part of our invention;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the device of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of a detail of FIGURE 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the overall operation of the device of the invention will first be described. A drilling rig 10 is shown in position over an oil well. A casing 14 extends upwardly from the well to a platform 16 of the rig 16.

Drilling mud is circulated down through the hollow center of a drill rod 13a, is forced up within the casing 14 into a conduit 18 which carries the mud to a shaker screen 20. Cuttings and cavings are retained on the shaker screen 20 and the drilling mud flows through the screen into a mud storage tank 22.

Tailings from the shaker screen 20 are discharged onto a sample washing tray 24 where they are splashed with water from a water tap 26. The tailings are discharged from the sample washing tray 24 onto a cavings separating screen 3%. The cavings are retained by the screen 36 which is set at steep enough angle so that the cavings will slide off to waste. The cuttings pass through the screen 31 into a cuttings conveying trough 32. Water from the tap 26 washes the cuttings down the conveying trough 32 into a sample collecting can 361:. The sample collecting cans 36 are stored in a collecting can container 38 which is constructed in such a manner that one can 361: will always be in position at the discharge end of the cuttings conveying trough 32. At predetermined intervals, the collecting can 36a will be discharged by automatic means onto a sample collecting can storage trough iii.

The sample washing tray 24 need not be as wide as the shaker screen 29 (FlGURE 3) because we provide a cover 42 for the cuttings conveying trough 32 so that the portion of the tailings discharging from the shaker screen 28 which are not caught in the sample washing tray 24 will not discharge into the cuttings conveying trough 32. A small stream of water flows down into the center of the sample washing tray 24 and flushes the cavings and the cuttings onto the screen 30. The discharge of water is coordinated with the discharge from the shaker screen 20 so that the sample washing tray 24 will be washed clean at all times. The water also forces the cuttings through the cavings separating screen 30. Referring to FIG. 4, each sample collecting can 36 comprises a steel cage' 50 into which may be inserted a cylindrical Wire mesh container 52. The wire mesh permits the sample to be dewatered while it is being collected and stored. ,,A flange 54encircles the cans 36 near their upper end. If desired, a sample collecting bag 60 may be inserted into the can 36 and held in position therein by means of a metal band 62. Of course the cuttings may be collected directly in the can 36 and transferred to the bag 60 by inserting the portion of the can 36 which extends above the flange 54 into the bag 60. I

The sample collecting can container 38 is designed to hold enough cans to collect samples from approximately 100 feet of drilling. A first solenoid 56 engages the flange 54:: on the sample collecting can 36a to maintain it in position within the can container 38 to receive a sample from the discharge end of the cuttings conveying trough 32. A second solenoid 58 engages the flange 54 of the can 36b and maintains it in position above the can 36a. A third solenoid 61 maintains a stack of cans 36 above the can 36b. The solenoids 56, 58 and 61 are controlled by the operator of the drilling rig through suitable switches, not shown. When the proper drilling depth is reached and a new sample is desired, the driller activates the first solenoid 56 causing the can 36:: to drop onto the can storage trough 40. The operator activates the second solenoid 58 causing a can 36b to drop into position to be filled, whereupon the operator places another can in position above the can to be filled by activating the solenoid 61.

Referring to FIG. 3, the relationship of the cavings separating screen 30 to the cuttings conveying trough 32 and its cover 42'is clearly shown. The screen 30 includes a slanted, cuttings receiving portion 33, a substantially vertical back plate 34, and side screens 35 which prevent cavings from collecting in the trough 32.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that the device of the present invention provides a compact and efiicient mechanism for the collection of cutting samples in well drilling operations.

It should also be understood that certain features of the invention maybe used in other combinations than those illustrated, as provided for in the appended claims.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, we have explained the principle of our invention, and have illustrated and described what we now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, we desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the'invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

We claim:

1. In combination with a shaker screen for separating drilling mud from tailings in well drilling operations wherein said shaker screen retains said tailings on its surface and includes a tailings discharge and, said tailings including cavings and cuttings, apparatus for collecting Jim representative samples of cuttings from predetermined depths comprising:

a tailings washing tray rigidly mounted subjacent the discharge end of said'shaker screen for receiving tailings therefrom, said tray including a tailings discharge end;

a water supply tap mounted superjacent said tray for supplying water thereto;

a cavings separating screen mounted subjacent the discharge end of said tray, said cavings separating screen having openings which permit said cuttings to pass through said screen While retaining the cavings portion of said tailings on its, surface;

a cutting conveying trough mounted subjacent said cavings separating screen to receive cuttings passing therethrough, said trough having a discharge end;

a sample-collecting can container mounted at the discharge end of said trough, said container having a discharge end positioned subjacent the discharge end of said trough and an intermediate portion extending above the discharge end of said trough; and

three solenoids mounted on said container, one of said solenoids being positioned in the discharge end of.

said container for supporting a first sample-collecting can in position therein to receive a sample discharging from saidtrough, a second of said solenoids being positioned in the intermediate portion of said container for supporting a second sample-collecting can therein above said discharge end of said trough, a third of said solenoids being positioned in said container above said second solenoid for supporting a stack of sample-collecting cans in said container above said second sample-collecting can, said first solenoid being actuatable to release said first can from the discharge end of said container, said second solenoid being actuatable to release said second can onto said first solenoid, said third solenoid being actuatable to release a can from saidstack onto said second solenoid.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 including also sample collecting cans mounted in said container, each of said.

cans including a cage, 2. wire mesh container mounted in said cage and a flange encompassing said can.

3. The'apparatus of claim Zincluding also a sample collecting bag mounted in each sample collecting can.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,721,126 Lilligren July 16,1929 2,302,996 Lilligren Nov. 24, 1942 2,576,283 Chaney "Nov. 27, 1951 2,870,990 Bergey Jan. 27, 1959 2,882,014 Addison Apr. 14, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 919,269 Germany Oct. 18, 1954 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A SHAKER SCREEN FOR SEPARATING DRILLING MUD FROM TAILINGS IN WELL DRILLING OPERATIONS WHEREIN SAID SHAKER SCREEN RETAINS SAID TAILINGS ON ITS SURFACE AND INCLUDES A TAILINGS DISCHARGE AND, SAID TAILINGS INCLUDING CAVINGS AND CUTTINGS, APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLES OF CUTTINGS FROM PREDETERMINED DEPTHS COMPRISING: A TAILINGS WASHING TRAY RIGIDLY MOUNTED SUBJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID SHAKER SCREEN FOR RECEIVING TAILINGS THEREFROM, SAID TRAY INCLUDING A TAILINGS DISCHARGE END; A WATER SUPPLY TAP MOUNTED SUPERJACENT SAID TRAY FRO SUPPLYING WATER THERETO; A CAVINGS SEPARATING SCREEN MOUNTED SUBJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TRAY, SAID CAVINGS SEPARATING SCREEN HAVING OPENINGS WHICH PERMIT SAID CUTTINGS TO PASS THROUGH SAID SCREEN WHILE RETAINING THE CAVINGS PORTION OF SAID TAILINGS ON ITS SURFACE; A CUTTING CONVEYING TROUGH MOUNTED SUBJACENT SAID CAVINGS SEPARATING SCREEN TO RECEIVE CUTTINGS PASSING THERETHROUGH, SAID TROUGH HAVING A DISCHARGE END; A SAMPLE-COLLECTING CAN CONTAINER MOUNTED AT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TROUGH, SAID CONTAINER HAVING A DISCHARGE END POSITIONED SUBJACENT THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TROUGH AND AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION EXTENDING ABOVE THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID TROUGH; AND THREE SOLENOIDS MOUNTED ON SAID CONTAINER, ONE OF SAID SOLENOIDS BEING POSITIONED IN THE DISCHAGE END OF SAID CONTAINER FOR SUPPORTING A FIRST SAMPLE-COLLECTING CAN IN POSITION THEREIN TO RECEIVE A SAMPLE DISCHARGING FROM SAID TROUGH, A SECOND OF SAID SOLENOIDS BEING POSITIONED IN THE INTERMEDIATE PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER FOR SUPPORTING A SECOND SAMPLE-COLLECTING CAN THEREIN ABOVE SAID DISCHARGE END OF SAID TROUGH, A THIRD OF SAID SOLENOIDS BEING POSITIONED IN SAID CONTAINER ABOVE SAID SECOND SOLENOID FOR SUPPORTING A STACK OF SAMPLE-COLLECTING CANS IN SAID CONTAINER ABOVE SAID SECOND SAMPLE-COLLECTING CAN, SAID FIRST SOLENOID BEING ACTUATABLE TO RELEASE SAID FIRST CAN FROM THE DISCHARGE END OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID SECOND SOLENOID BEING ACTUATABLE TO RELEASE SAID SECOND CAN ONTO SAID FIRST SOLENOID, SAID THIRD SOLENOID BEING ACTUATABLE TO RELEASE A CAN FROM SAID STACK ONTO SAID SECOND SOLENOID. 